


Chigiri

by FruitofSorrow



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Broken Promises, Contains overlap with canon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, I'M PSYCHIC, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, professional volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-02-01 22:41:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21405322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FruitofSorrow/pseuds/FruitofSorrow
Summary: "He knew that some wishes were destined to only remain that—hopeful dreams, but Hinata was also aware that more than desire tied him and Kageyama together. What bound them had been magic of their own forging, and it was his to do with what he pleased. "Or Hinata returns to Japan to play volleyball in University and dreads coming face to face with Kageyama after breaking their promise.Did Kageyama move on, or has he been waiting for his ex-partner this whole time?
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 17
Kudos: 141





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was planned and outlined before chapters 371 and 372 of the manga were released. While there was originally some coincidental overlap, other aspects of the story were later altered to match the canon. 
> 
> Additionally, while this story is standalone, you may choose to read it as a sequel to my previous Kagehina fic, Torch.
> 
> I hope you enjoy~

Hinata wiped the sweat off his brow and took a long drink out of his bottle. He watched with interest as the other team gathered around their coach after the game, his eyes trailing after one blond titan in particular. 

"It's strange seeing them on the other side of the net, isn't it?" said Inuoka, who approached Hinata with a towel draped around his shoulders and a bottle in his hands.

"I thought I'd prepared myself to face against them, but it's a lot stranger than I imagined. I can't stop thinking about them as my teammates.”

"Tell me about it," said Inuoka, following Hinata's gaze. "Last season, after our second set against Waseda, I almost called Kuroo over for the team huddle by mistake. Sometimes, I wake up in the morning, thinking there’ll be practice with the Nekoma team after school.”

Hinata's lips twitched a fraction. "Yeah, I get that, too," he said, hoarse.

"Hey, Inuoka!”

They both turned to see Shibayama jogging in their direction. He ducked under the net and came to a halting stop in front of the two boys.

"Team meeting finished?" Inuoka asked, punching the libero's arm.

Shibayama grinned. "We didn't get yelled at this time.”

"Yeah, well, you beat us fair and square.”

"It was a good game," Hinata agreed.

"Oh, yeah," Shibayama said, looking at Hinata with bright eyes. "This is the first time I’ve seen you since high school. How was Brazil?”

A grin bloomed on Hinata's face. "It was awesome. I picked up some cool tricks.”

"I could tell," Shibayama said, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "You were reliable even in high school, but it’s like you’ve skipped several levels to the top. Not to mention your speed and reflexes, which are as insane as ever.”

Hinata rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I've still got a lot to work on.”

"Don't we all." Inuoka laughed. 

“Too bad we can’t all be prodigies,” said Shibayama. "The rest of us have to put in the hours.”

Though the comment was clearly a joke—lighthearted fun—Hinata couldn’t help but bristle. He knew better than anyone how much work so-called volleyball geniuses put into improving their game. He'd been partners with one for three years, after all. 

"Everyone needs practice," he said, fingers curling into his palms.

_Not that they'd know._ After all, Nekoma didn't have individually standout out members; their strength had lied in the unity of the team: how well each person played off the others to keep the synergy of the group alive. Neither Shibayama nor Inuoka had played extensively alongside guys like Ushijima, Atsumu Miya…or Kageyama. To them, those sorts of players were unreachable—cut from a different cloth. Their struggles and complexes may as well have been the stuff of myths.

Shibayama coughed awkwardly. He and Inuoka exchanged a look.

"H-hey, Shouyo, why don't you go catch up with Tsukishima?" Inuoka suggested. 

Hinata glanced between them, noticing the changed atmosphere, which was now charged with crackling electricity.

_This is awkward._

"I don't think that's something he wants," Hinata said, offering a shaky smile. 

If the air could sigh, right then would have been its moment.

Shibayama’s shoulders relaxed. "He's actually mellowed out a bit since high school, you know," he said. "Still keeps to himself, though."

Before Hinata could come up with an excuse to avoid interacting with Tsukki, Shibayama was already waving him over. 

The blond guy only stared at them a moment, but in that sliver of time, Hinata saw something pass through Tsukishima's eyes—a specter of that haughtiness Hinata knew so well.

He walked over confidently and stopped a few feet away from them as though keeping his distance for fear of catching some disease from the exuberant trio.

"H-hey," Hinata said, trying to put on the friendliest smile he could muster. "It's been a while.”

Tsukki said nothing, only adjusted the strap of his glasses on the back of his head.

"Tsukishima is being eyed for a spot on the National Team," Shibayama said quickly. "Isn't that right, Inuoka?”

Inuoka nodded with a little hum. 

Tsukki sighed. "Don't go around making it sound like it's a sure thing. With the roster full, it's unlikely I'll ever get a formal invitation."

"You gotta think positively about these kinds of things," Shibayama said, cheering him on. "To even be considered is a huge deal."

"I'm a pragmatist." 

Hinata let out a small snort at that, which made Tsukishima glower.

“Some things don't change," Hinata said, wiping an imaginary tear from his eyes. 

Hinata still remembered the Tsukki from their first year at Karasuno. Too afraid to hope for fear of being disappointed in the end. Even as a third-year, that mindset of his never really went away. It was probably for that reason that he turned down the position of Vice-Captain. 

Hinata never told him so, but he’d always thought Tsukishima could’ve been a good leader if he’d only tried.

“Shouyo…” Inuoka said, a warning in his voice, but Hinata didn't pay him any mind.

"Listen, Tsukishima. There's nothing to worry about. You'll make the team. Wanna know how I'm so sure?"

There was no reply, only a cold, calculating glare from the blond boy.

"Because it's you, Tsukishima Kei, who only does things that are cool, and what's cooler than getting to play with the best volleyball players in all of Japan?”

For a moment, Hinata thought he saw Tsukishima's cold front thaw out, but his expression morphed back into a mask of inscrutability. 

"I forgot how idealistic you can be,” said Tsukki, his shoulders dropping, relaxed. “But I suppose that’s a given when one is so dumb.”

"Hey!" Hinata roared, ready to fight, but when more than a couple of eyes turned to him, he shrunk in on himself. Instead, he shoved an accusatory finger at Shibayama. "I thought you said he mellowed out!”

The libero shrugged. 

"You don't need to concern yourself with me," Tsukki said. "You've got plenty to worry about yourself."

If Hinata had been the same kid from high school, he would've thought Tsukishima was trying to pour salt in his wounds, but true to Shibayama's account, something about Tsukki seemed different. He didn’t detect any poison in the words. On the contrary, they almost came across as …concerned. Was Tsukishima really worried about him? Why?

"A little crow told me there's a shadow chasing after you, and that’s it’s very nearly reached your heels,” was all he said. 

Before Hinata could inquire further, Tsukishima continued, “but as I recall, you've always been very good at running, so there's nothing to worry about, right?"

_Ah, there it is. That typical Tsukishima snark._

"How was Brazil, by the way?" the blond asked, smirking. 

Inuoka stepped between them before any blood could be spilled. “Shouyo was very popular," he said. "He turned lots of important heads."

"Ah, that's right," Shibayama chimed in mid-yawn. "Word on the street is that Chuo was so impressed with Hinata's volleyball resume that they offered him a full scholarship to come play for the school.”

Hinata flushed. It was true that he met a lot of renowned people overseas, and that he might've appeared in Volleyball Monthly on more than one occasion, but it wasn't like he'd been offered a spot on the Japan National Volleyball team. Not like Tsukishima.

Not like…_him_.

"Ah, I did hear that one of your coach's close volleyball friends put in a good word for you. Someone who works at a high school. Personally, I can't imagine who that could be," said Tsukishima.

"_Excuse you_? I have a very charming and approachable personality. I could’ve been recommended by anyone!" 

"Hey, let's all calm down," Inuoka said, holding out his arms to form a barricade of sorts. "We're just talking.

At that moment, Tsukuba's coach called for the team, and Hinata glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost 7 o'clock, and last he checked, Tsukuba had a two and a half-hour drive back to Ibaraki.

"We should get going," Shibayama told Tsukishima. "It's was nice seeing you again, Shouyo. I'll talk to you later, Inuoka. Tell Kenma he needs to return that game I let him borrow."

Inuoka waved them off. “Shouyo will probably see him before I do."

Hinata nodded. "I'll let him know."

"Thanks!" 

When Inuoka ran off, too, Hinata stayed back and watched them go.

_What did Tsukki mean by shadow? _

Goosebumps erupted on his arms. 

_Could it be he was talking about Kageyama?_ And if he was, what was this about him coming for him? 

_Don't tell me he wants to murder me. _Hinata grabbed his hair, panicked.

No, as angry as Kageyama was at him for running off to the other side of the world, he wouldn't try to kill him. Worst case scenario, he mighttry to prove his own point, and Hinata couldn't think of anything that would bring Kageyama more pleasure than showing him that going to Brazil had been a mistake. The most definite way to drive the message home would be by challenging him to a match and winning.

Hinata chuckled to himself, nervous. 

Luckily this wasn't high school, and Kageyama couldn't just walk up to him and demand a game. They'd have to wait until a match was scheduled between their teams, and with a month still left until the Intercollegiate Volleyball Tournament, he'd have to wait a little longer. Even then, it wasn't guaranteed they'd ever meet on the court. 

The thought should have put Hinata at ease, but it only made the phantom grip on his heart squeeze tighter.


	2. Chapter 2

  
Holding two plastic bags of food, Hinata rang the doorbell of the last apartment in the hall.

Volleyball practice had consumed so much of his time that Hinata wasn't able to catch up with any of his high school friends. A few days ago, Kenma texted to invite him over so they could debut a new video game together, and Hinata had been more than thrilled to accept. Kenma was one of his best friends, after all, and he’d missed hanging out with him. 

Now it was Saturday, and he was outside of Kenma's home with two liters of soda, about four bags of potato chips, and half a dozen meat buns. He looked down at his spoils and wondered if he'd brought enough to satiate the hunger of two still-growing young adults.

_Maybe I should have gotten some…_

The door cracked open, and Hinata stepped back, eyes trailing up much farther than he'd anticipated. 

“Kuroo-san?"

"Oh, hello chibi-chan," the dark-haired boy said. 

No, he wasn't a boy anymore. Kuroo was as tall as ever, but he'd filled out in places where Hinata didn't even know muscles existed. His jaw was sharper, too, more defined, but his eyes were sallow and dark. He looked tired. 

_Yeah, those are definitely the eyes of an adult,_ Hinata thought.

"You've grown.”

"And you got a haircut," Hinata snarked.

Kuroo laughed and stepped aside to let him in. "Yeah, I thought I’d try something new.”

Hinata removed his shoes by the door and went to set the bags down on the coffee table in the living room.

"Is it Shouyo?" Hinata heard Kenma say from somewhere within the house. 

"Yeah, it's me," he said, awkwardly fiddling with his fingers.

"He's in his room," Kuroo said, already beginning to rummage through Hinata's bags. "Down the hall, door to the left."

Hinata nodded and followed the instructions to Kenma's "lair," as Inuoka had once called it. 

_I swear, Shouyo, he doesn't leave that place unless he absolutely has to! It'd be unlivable, too, if Kuroo-san weren't there to make sure he cleans it every now and then._

Hinata pushed open the door to Kenma’s room all the way. “Hey."

"Did you bring snacks?” Kenma asked, not taking his eyes off the television screen.

"Yeah, a certain someone already beat you to it, though." 

Kenma didn't seem to have any snarky reply to that. Instead, he told Hinata to sit down wherever he liked. 

Hinata looked around the room and took in the chaos before settling down on the cleared spot beside Kenma, who sat crisscrossed on the floor. 

Kenma’s hair was all black now, falling a little past his shoulders in waves. Hinata couldn’t tell sitting down, but Kenma had told him he grew two and a half centimeters while Hinata was away. He’d make sure to compare their heights later.

"I thought you were gonna wait for me!" he said, finally realizing that Kenma had already started the game.

"He waited a whole day and a half before proclaiming it'd been long enough," Kuroo said, reappearing at the door with a bag of chips in hand. He threw himself on Kenma's bed, belly faced down. "That's a record."

Kenma paused his game to throw the pillow on his lap at Kuroo, who smiled cheekily before tossing it back.

Kenma turned to Hinata. "I can save this file and start a new game," he offered, but Hinata could see in his eyes that he really didn't want to do that. 

"No, that's okay. I can wait."

Kenma shrugged and hit resume.

"So, you were recruited by Chuo," Kuroo said, munching on a chip. "I thought you'd quit volleyball altogether after listening to Kageyama talk—”

"Kuroo," Kenma warned, throwing him a quick side glance.

Kageyama wasn't somebody Hinata liked to talk about, but that didn't mean it hurt him to think about the setter. On the contrary, one of Hinata's pastimes in Brazil had been rewatching his favorite Karasuno volleyball game recordings. Seeing Kageyama’s face had been inevitable. Over time, he even managed to grow accustomed to it again—his sharp eyes, the deep furrow of his brow, and how his lips would press together when he tried to concentrate…

"No, it's okay," Hinata said, pulling his knees up to his chin. "I can see how it might’ve looked that way to everyone. I knew I wouldn’t be selected for the National Team straight out of high school, and I didn't get many offers to play in college, either. If going to Brazil made it seem like I was turning my back on a volleyball career, it's my fault for not making my intentions clearer.”

"Kageyama was really pissed off," said Kuroo, placing the bag of chips on the floor so he could make room to cradle his head on his arms. "He was amazing in his first tournament at Waseda, but he didn’t have that shine in his eyes, you know? Not like when you were by his side. I was probably the only person who noticed his game wasn't up to par, though thankfully he realized it himself before it became a problem.”

Hinata's shoulders dropped. "He's not someone who'd let something like that stop him.”

_ I knew it, even when we were at Karasuno, that the only thing he loved more than playing with me was volleyball itself. Even if I couldn't be by his side, Kageyama would never stop playing. He'd never stop trying to be the best. He even made it on the National Team, despite everything…_

"It doesn't sound like you've patched things up with him.”

Hinata shrugged. "I haven't spoken to Tob— to Kageyama in over a year."

"Shit," Kenma muttered, attracting everyone’s attention. When the words ‘game over' flashed on the screen, Kenma exited to the main menu and slid the controller off to the side, annoyed. 

Kuroo laughed. "Lost already? Give it here. I'll beat your high score."

Kenma handed him the controller and leaned back against the foot of the bed as Kuroo took his spot on the floor. 

"Shouyo, why haven't you reached out to him yet? Waseda isn't very far from here."

Hinata offered him a shaky smile. "It's just…we made a promise to focus only on volleyball. The next time I see him, I want to be the opponent he's been waiting for, not—not just some guy he used to play volleyball with."

Kenma got that look in his eyes that meant he was assessing somebody—trying to see through them. "I don't think you'll ever be just some guy to him. It’s as Kuroo said. Your duo was one of a kind. You gave him something nobody else could."

"Maybe that was true before," Hinata said, tracing patterns on the floor with his finger. "Maybe I was special to him in the past, but…what if that's not the case anymore?”

_What if I need him more than he needs me?_ Is what he couldn't say aloud.

Kenma didn't seem to have any words of wisdom for him.

"Hey," Kuroo said, turning serious. "The truth is, you're bound to meet eventually. Some way, somehow, your paths will cross again, and what happens then will depend on the attitude you have going in. You have a choice. To greet him with a heart that's full of fear, or one that's bared and forgiving.”

_ He's right,_ Hinata conceded. _I can't greet him as I am. Not when I have so many doubts. _

"Whatever you choose," Kuroo continued, "make it quick."

"Huh?"

"You're a member of the Chuo Volleyball team now. You’re practically competing in Kageyama's own backyard. How long do you think you'll be able to avoid him?"

Hinata buried his face between his knees. "Yeah, I've been made aware."

Kenma reached for the discarded bag of chips and began munching away. "You know, Kuroo is on the National team with Kageyama right now. He can tell you anything you want to know."

Hinata looked up. "Ah, I forgot all about that. I watched some of your games."

"Yeah, well not to brag, but I'm pretty damned good," Kuroo said, adding a little whoop when he managed to shoot down a virtual enemy.

Kenma’s brows creased with worry as he looked over Kuroo's shoulder to peep at his progress.

"How do you like me now, Kenma?"

"Shut up."

Hinata laughed.

"Anyway," said Kuroo. "When I'm not slaving away as a professional volleyball player slash up-and-coming pro gamer, I like to help out my kouhai with their problems. Ask away, chibi-chan!"

"Don't make it sound like you're a nice person," Kenma said with a grunt.

Kuroo gasped in pretend disbelief. "I've always been a nice person!"

Seeing his cue to intervene, Hinata hurriedly turned down the offer.

"Thanks, but I think I'll just wait and see for myself how Kageyama has evolved. Gotta keep it honest and clean, right? No unfair advantages."

Kuroo grinned. "Ah, that fire and integrity! That's the chibi-chan I know and love!”

Kenma rolled his eyes. 

"Don't be jealous, babe.”

_Babe_—?

"_Kuroo,_" Kenma whined, covering his face with both hands.

Kuroo's shoulders rose up to his neck sheepishly. “Oops."

"Wait…" Hinata said, eyes flickering between them. "_You_ two…since when do you…?”

"It was a joke!" Kenma said, face burning.

Kuroo waggled an eyebrow. "Was it?”

"So then you're not?" Hinata asked, confused.

Kuroo looked over his shoulder at Kenma, and if looks could kill, Kuroo would’ve already been twelve feet under.

"NO!" Kenma said, and it was possibly the loudest Hinata had ever heard him get.

Kuroo shrugged and turned back to the screen. "I guess not.”

Hinata chuckled awkwardly. "Who understands you guys.”

"Could say the same about you and that setter of yours," said Kuroo. "The way you both act, anyone would think you were scorned exes—FUCK.”

"What's your score?" Kenma said, head popping up to catch a better look at the screen.

"Relax, Kenma. Your record is safe and sound.”

Hinata's heart dropped to his stomach. He'd never really given much thought to what others thought about his and Kageyama's relationship; at the end of the day, it didn't really matter. But was this really how their friends saw them? Had they been _that _obvious?

He thought they’d been more careful.

"You wanna try next, chibi-chan?”

"Huh?" 

"The game. You wanna go?”

_Shake it off, Shouyo._

Oh, yeah. I'll go."


	3. Chapter 3

“That was a nice receive, Shouyo!” said Chuo’s libero. “Couldn’t have done it any better myself.” 

“Thanks; almost didn’t make it in time, though,” said Hinata, trying to even out his breathing. 

In truth, he’d gotten distracted by unnecessary thoughts of Kageyama during the game. He couldn’t help but think about all that Kuroo had said to him only two days ago. 

Hinata had said he wanted to wait until he felt good about his abilities before facing Kageyama again. Still, the more he let the idea percolate through his mind, the more miserable it made him. Kageyama was a constant in his life now. Perhaps not in the physical way he’d once been, but that didn’t mean he’d stopped making daily appearances in Hinata’s head. Even when Hinata minded his own business, he’d hear the name on other peoples’ tongues, or he’d be riding his bike in town and happen by a shop playing one of Kageyama’s matches.

Kageyama Tobio was unavoidable, in every sense of the word. And now that he was a college volleyball player, too, Hinata would just have to grow accustomed to hearing all about the prodigal son of Waseda—the National Team’s golden setter.

But Hinata didn’t care about that. Well, he did, but that was beside the point. He _wanted _to see Kageyama. Now. Not in some near future as his rival, but as the person who’d once been his partner, his friend, and his greatest lo—

“Everybody, gather around,” Coach called, and Hinata reared his head in the direction of his thunderous voice.

Everyone pooled into a cluster at the side of the court where the coach and managers waited for them with impassive faces and crossed arms. Hinata straggled along at his own pace.

“I wasn’t going to say anything until we got closer to the date, but I decided it’d be better to tell you the news now so that you can take advantage of the next three weeks of practice.”

The coach removed his glasses to wipe a smudge off one of the lenses. 

Everyone waited with bated breath.

“We’ve been honored with a practice match against Waseda University at the end of the month. I don’t need to explain to you that this is a rare opportunity, and even now, I’m not sure I understand what Waseda hopes to gain from playing against us, but we will not let it go to waste. To become strong, one must play against strong teams, and Waseda has been the Intercollegiate champion for two years running. I want you all to think of this upcoming match as a test of your abilities.”

There was an uncomfortably long silence that only broke after the team captain expressed his disbelief. “Are you serious!” he said, eyes bulging out of his head. 

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Coach answered back.

The coach wasn’t usually austere, but there were no signs of humor on his rugged face—no indication of a bluff.

The gym exploded into a frenzy of low murmurs. Some were clearly excited about the news, while others were nervous, and then there were the few who seemed to share Hinata’s skepticism.

“Kageyama’s team,” he whispered, and Inuoka, who was standing nearby, turned to look at him with eyebrows drawn together.

“Shouyo, are you okay?”

Blood pounded in Hinata’s ears. He could scarcely make out any voices. All he could hear was Kuroo’s voice, echoing loudly in his head.

_How long do you think you’ll be able to avoid him?_

_ How long do you think you’ll be able to avoid him_

_ How long…avoid…_

_ Kageyama._

Hinata gripped his hair with both hands and pulled on his orange strands. Hard.

“OH SHIT!”


	4. Chapter 4

“I can’t believe Coach signed off to this!” said Waseda’s starting middle-blocker.

The team was changing into their day clothes and packing up for the night when Kageyama heard his teammates whispering amongst themselves. Or at least they had been until Mori decided he’d had enough of the quiet that permeated every corner of the locker room.

“Chuo is a second-rate team. Playing them is a waste of our time.”

Kageyama stopped stuffing his volleyball shoes in his bag and turned to the offender. 

Nervous glances turned to him, but before the setter could get in any words, Goshiki tossed a balled-up sock at Mori’s head.

“You’ve got a long way to go before you can start looking down at your opponents, first-year.”

Mori rubbed the back of his neck. “I only said what everyone else has been thinking.” He turned to Kageyama. “No disrespect, _senpai, _but you’re the only person on the team who wanted this match. Just because Coach favors you doesn’t give you the right to string all of us along in your personal grudges, or whatever may be the case.”

“Listen, brat—”

“No, it’s alright,” Kageyama said, holding up a hand to stop Goshiki. “I should have asked the team before going to Coach with my request. I’m sorry.”

Everyone threw around baffled glances as though unsure of what they were hearing.

Kageyama was a team player when it counted, but off the court, he kept to himself, which tended to give people the wrong impression. Kageyama knew this—he was aware he needed to warm up to the other players—but it was hard to do that when half of the year he was away playing on the National Team. Sometimes, Kageyama felt like an outsider. And no matter how hard he tried to bridge the gap that had grown between him and the team, the others couldn’t stop seeing him as anything more than a privileged loaner: some guy the National Team gave back to them off-season. Like he was a godsend that they should all be grateful to even have in bursts.

It was presumptuous of him to think that the others wouldn’t resent him for going behind their backs.

“Well,” said their Libero, “I guess practice is still practice, no matter who we go up against. Chuo might not be as weak as we think.”

Heads started to nod tentatively, and Goshiki’s shoulders dropped, placated.

Slowly, everyone started to leave, but Goshiki stayed back. When the room was cleared, he went to stand in front of Kageyama, a twinkle in his eye. “I know why you did it,” he said, casually flicking off some dirt under his nail.

Kageyama hung his head. “You’re going to give me an earful, too?”

Goshiki sat down on the bench across from Kageyema’s locker. He leaned back, nonchalant. “Look, I want to play against him, too, but what the team said, well, they weren’t exactly wrong. What you did _was _pretty selfish.”

Kageyama threw the door to his locker shut and zipped up his bag before hauling it over his shoulder. 

“We have a packed schedule. Three weeks of scheduled matches, and midterms on top of that. The guys are barely getting enough sleep. The last thing they need right now is another game to play, let alone one against a team like Chuo.”

Kageyama’s jaw clenched. 

“Hey, this isn’t a slight against Hinata Shouyo. Far from it. It’s just… defeating them won’t mean a thing for us in the long run, and the guys, well, they don’t see value in what won’t push the team forward.”

“I know that,” Kageyama admitted. “But if I don’t play him now, then when? He’s not in the V-league. He’s not on the National Team. He’s not even on a team that can match up against Waseda. Instead of going to Brazil, he should have been _here,_ climbing up the ranks and playing catch-up.”

Goshiki shrugged. “Maybe. But forcing the matter won’t do you any favors. Beating him now, before he’s even taken the next step toward you, won’t prove anything.”

Kageyama’s lips pressed in a line. 

“He’s as much my rival as he is yours, you know. He’s annoying and too—” Goshiki drawled, waving a hand in the air, “_sunshine-y_, and it pisses me off, but he’s good. _Too _good. Personally, I would’ve liked to face him when he’s at his best, but nothing can be done about that now.”

Goshiki clapped his knees and got on his feet.

“As prospective captain for next year, I just wanted you to know that I don’t see this match as a horrible thing. A little precipitate, maybe. But at the very least, the guys might learn to have some appreciation for smaller teams after seeing Hinata Shouyo play.”

Kageyama watched him go, eyes fixed on his broad shoulders. 

He had to admit, he’d never given the guy much credit.

Back in the day, Goshiki had acted much like a giant baby—continually seeking out praise and adoration. He even had a tendency to start rivalries out of thin air, his with Hinata being the most enduring.

But he’d grown considerably since then. Not only had he become a reliable wing spiker and pseudo-ace, but Goshiki had also gained some new life perspective. He didn’t look down his nose at his opponents anymore, and perhaps it was because Goshiki had been in the other guys’ shoes that he was now trying to ease them out of their elitist thinking.

After all, what was Volleyball without its sportsmanship? What was a challenge if not an opportunity for growth? Nothing more than a wasted chance.

Kageyama sighed into the emptiness, feeling somewhat defeated. 

He should have thought things over a bit more before acting rashly. Maybe talked it out with someone. Sugawara-san, perhaps.

All he knew was that this wasn’t how he’d imagined things to go down. Now, he had no other choice but to brace himself for the repercussions brought upon by his own hard-headedness.


	5. Chapter 5

Kageyama kicked a can on the sidewalk.

He was hungry.

After leaving the school gym, he’d realized that he left his snacks at the apartment, and the nearest convenience store was at the foot of the mountain. In his daze, he’d unknowingly passed by the last vending machine, and there was hardly a point in turning back now.

After the tenth kick, he bent over to pick up the discarded coffee can. He seemed to do most of his counting in tens these days.

_Damn litterers, _he thought, grinding his teeth. He’d throw it out himself as soon as he found a recycling bin. 

A cyclist whooshed past him, making him jump to the side.

“Hey! Watch it!”

The guy didn’t even turn back as he disappeared around the bend.

Kageyama grimaced.

The rest of the walk down was miserable and cold. Kageyama was already in a poor mood, and his growling stomach seemed to be the echo of his own internal rage.

When he made it down, Kageyama thanked his lucky star that the convenience store was still open. He could even smell the lingering scent of the last batch of meat buns wafting in the crisp autumn air.

“Ah, the volleyball kid,” said the old lady behind the counter. “I remember you.”

Kageyama answered her with as soft a smile as he could muster. “Do you have any meat buns left?”

“Yes, yes, wait here,” she said, hobbling to her feet. 

Kageyama waited patiently as the old lady disappeared into the back room, where they prepared and stored all the warm foods. He looked around, eyes wandering to the aisle of boxed drinks, before deciding he was thirsty as well.

He ambled over to the selection of milk and grabbed a box of his favorite brand. That’s when his eyes stopped on a familiar white box with bright blue lettering and iconography. 

_“It’s not my birthday,” Hinata said, shaking the poorly wrapped box in his hand. “What is it?”_

_ “Shut up,” said Kageyama, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s an early graduation present.”_

_Hinata turned up to smile at him, a warm glimmer in his large, bright eyes. “I didn’t know we were doing presents.”_

_“We weren’t, I just thought—”_

_“Thanks!” Hinata said, already tearing into the packaging. _

_Kageyama watched with butterflies in his stomach as Hinata held up his gift and turned it over._

_The little brat started laughing._

_Before Kageyama could run and hide, Hinata exclaimed his appreciation._

_“Oh, I love it!”_

_“R-really?”_

_“I mean, it’s a little on the nose, but it’s so…_you_. That’s why it’s perfect. Thanks.”_

_Hinata pulled out his phone from his pocket and started to swap the cases right then and there. Kageyama didn’t think it was possible to feel even more embarrassed, but his face started to burn up, and now he _really _wanted to hide._

_“This is the closest you’ve been to sharing one of your precious milk boxes with anyone. I guess that means I’m special.”_

_“T-that’s not true.”_

_“Oh? You mean you’ve shared a milk box with someone other than me?” Hinata said, pretending to be outraged. “Who?”_

_“Natsu,” Kageyama confessed. “She threatened to start crying, and she looks so much like you, I couldn’t stomach it.”_

_Hinata laughed and reached out to wrap his arms around Kageyama’s waist. He looked up and pressed his chin against his chest. “You’re a softy.”_

_Kageyama cleared his throat. There was something that he’d meant to bring up. A topic that he sensed the shorter boy was trying to avoid. “Shouyo—” he said tentatively, “why won’t you tell me what University you’re going to?”_

_A dark fog passed over Hinata’s eyes, veiling his thoughts. When Hinata got like this, Kageyama couldn’t get a read on him. It frustrated him to no end._

_Hinata unwound his arms from Kageyama and stepped back. “It’s a surprise.”_

_Kageyama sighed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and fixed his angry stare on the shorter boy._

_“I’ve already ruled out Waseda. You’re not that smart. So unless you tell me you’re not going to University, I can’t see what else might surprise me.”_

_Hinata’s eyes flickered to the ground, his lips trembled before pursing into a pout. “Isn’t the point of surprises that you never see them coming? Besides, it’s not like you’re a genius yourself, _Japan.”

_Kageyama’s anger simmered. “I thought you said you weren’t upset about that anymore.”_

_Hinata cleared his throat. “I’m not. I’m really, really happy for you. It’s just, I didn’t get the offers I thought I would, that’s all.”_

_Kageyama closed the distance between them and pulled Hinata to his chest again. “I’m sure that once all of Japan sees how you play volleyball, you’ll start getting offers left and right. You might even be scouted overseas.” Kageyama looked down at Hinata fondly. “You proved everyone wrong in high school; I know you’ll do it again at university.”_

_There was a beat._

_“Aren’t you upset?” Hinata mumbled into his shirt. “That we’ll be on separate sides of the court now.”_

_Kageyama sighed and rested his chin on top of the mop that was Hinata’s hair. “We made a promise, remember? To face each other on the court. The way I see it, splitting up was inevitable.” He paused. “It all worked out in the end,” he added softly. “Unless that’s not what you want anymore—”_

_“I want it!” Hinata craned his neck to look up at him. “More than anything. I absolutely can’t wait to finally wipe the floor with you.”_

_Kageyama’s lips curled. “Not gonna happen.”_

_Hinata laughed, and his eyes crinkled shut. “Wanna bet?”_

_There was a flutter in Kageyama’s chest. Without thinking, his hands reached up to cup the sides of Hinata’s face. The shorter boy’s laughter died, and his eyes opened. He looked so startled, so defenseless, and for a moment, Kageyama could see what Hinata wasn’t telling him. He was scared._

_“No matter where we are, what side of the court we’re on, playing Volleyball with you will always be the best.”_

_Unshed tears glimmered in Hinata’s eyes. _

_“So work hard, like you always have. Show everyone what you’re capable of, and one day, we’ll be on the National Team together.”_

_Hinata nodded vigorously, eyes cast down. He refused to show weakness._

_In a twisted way, Kageyama was grateful for that. _

_The one thing in the world he could not bear was seeing Hinata Shouyo cry._

Kageyama walked out of the store, a meat bun in one hand, and the milk box in the other. The night was chilly, but the sky was so clear that all the stars were visible. The moon was exceptionally bright tonight, illuminating the uneven path in front of him. His apartment was only a few streets down, so he knew the area well, but he was grateful for the clarity, especially now that every aspect of his life seemed so nebulous.

Sometimes, Kageyama wondered if he’d erred somewhere along the way. If he’d taken one big misstep on his way to self-fulfillment, and that’s why he now felt so lost. On the one hand, he had everything he’d always wanted. A spot on the National Team. Notoriety. Fame. 

But on the other hand, it was like he’d had to carve out a hole in his own chest to achieve it. 

_ ‘Playing volleyball with you will always be the best.’_

He crumpled up the meat bun wrapper in his fist and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.

He wanted to laugh and cry and scream all at once.

Where did everything start to go wrong?

_“Hey, Kageyama?” Hinata said._

_He squeezed their clasped hands, and Kageyama turned around, wondering why he’d stopped in the middle of the sidewalk._

_“What is it?”_

_ Hinata forced a small smile. “I need to tell you something.”_

_Kageyama heard hesitance in his voice, so he squared his shoulders to face Hinata properly. _

_ “Can it wait? If we don’t hurry and catch the subway, we’ll be late for the graduation party Yachi is throwing all of us.” He raised the diploma in his other hand for emphasis._

_Hinata started to nod his head, his lips already taking shape for the words on his tongue, but he stopped himself. “No. I’ve been putting this off for too long. I need to say it. Before I lose my nerve.”_

_“You’re starting to worry me,” Kageyama said, letting his fingers slip from Hinata’s so he could cup his face._

_The smaller boy shut his eyes and swallowed. _

_“You—you’ll have to wait a little longer before we can meet on the court,” he said, the words slurring together in his haste._

_“What?”_

_“I’m taking a couple of years off from school,” he said, a little too loudly. “I’m going to Brazil.”_

_Kageyama immediately dropped his hand as though he’d been bitten._

_It took him a moment to process the words, but when they registered, Kageyama wished he’d never heard them. “This is why you wouldn’t tell me what school you were going to,” he said. The hardness in his voice—the sharp intonation of each syllable—was apparent even to his ears. _

_Hinata nodded shortly. “I knew it’d disappoint you, and I was so afraid.”_

_Kageyama’s hand balled into a fist. Suddenly the urge to hit something became too real._

_ “Of course I’m disappointed,” he said, ignoring the heart-wrenching expression that took over Hinata’s face. “You’re running away!”_

_Hinata made a sound a lot like a whimper. “I’m not! I’m just trying to widen my prospects. I’m not naive. I know the V-League is out of my reach at the moment, but there’s still the Olympics. Coach Washijo said that if I—”_

_“I don’t give a shit what that old man said,” Kageyama shouted. _

_Hinata’s eyes widened. There was a beat before he reached out for Kageyama’s arm._

_ “Hey, calm down. People live around here.”_

_Kageyama’s fingers unfurled. He breathed out steadily, trying to regain his calm. His heart wouldn’t stop pounding._

_“I never took you for a quitter.”_

_“Kageyama, _please,”_ Hinata tried to say, but Kageyama held out his free hand to stop him. _

_“No. Now it’s your turn to listen.”_

_Hinata obeyed._

_“You promised me, Shouyo.” _

_The use of his first name made Hinata flinch. _

_“I told you it didn’t matter if we stood on opposite sides so long as we kept playing together. All this time, you knew it wouldn’t be like that, so then why…why did you let me keep believing it? Why did you give my hope wings?”_

_“It’s not a decision I made lightly…”_

_“That’s why this sucks,” Kageyama said, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve been leading me on for how long, exactly?”_

_There was a beat. _

_“Since our second year,” Hinata admitted, looking down. “After the training camp, Coach and Takeda sensei helped me find connections in Rio so that I could move there as soon as graduation.”_

_Kageyama stared at him, unmoving. He couldn’t believe it. Hinata had been planning this for two years and never said a word to him about it. Weren’t they supposed to be friends? Partners?_

_He was Hinata’s _boyfriend, _for fuck's sake. Just how little did Hinata think of him? Had only Kageyama been invested in their relationship? If it could even be called that anymore. What had passed between them—all they created—had been built on top of flaky promises and lies._

_Maybe Kageyama could’ve expected this from anyone else, but not _him. _Not Hinata. The one person he’d trusted to be by his side and to have his back. _

_He was being abandoned all over again. _

_He was going to be alone._

_Kageyama turned away._

_“I can’t look at you right now,” he said and started to walk away. “You can go to the party by yourself.”_

_“I understand if you need time—”_

_“Don’t,” Kageyama snapped. His step faltered. “Unless it’s to tell me you’ve changed your mind, don’t speak to me.”_

_If Hinata’s voice caught in his throat as he tried to call out his name, Kageyama didn’t hear it._

Kageyama pressed his forehead against the door to his apartment. 

He thumbed the keys in his pocket, and breathed out slowly, one inhalation and exhalation at a time. His roommate was probably home, and he didn’t want to be bombarded with questions that he neither had the time nor wits about himself for, so he did his best to school his expression. 

_I must look absolutely wrecked,_ he thought, imagining his deep frown and the dark circles under his eyes.

After a minute or two, he unlocked the front door and toed off his shoes at the entrance. 

“I’m home,” he called out to the dark apartment. He turned on the hallway light, and as he stepped into the living room, he noticed light spreading out from the crack under his roommate’s door. There was no sound.

“He probably fell asleep at his desk again,” he murmured aloud. 

Kageyama dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed face-down onto the sofa. Never had he been more grateful for his Swedish roommate’s behemoth of a couch than at that moment.

He turned to bury his face in the cushions.

_Three weeks._ In just three weeks, he’d see Shouyo again. 

His heart ached just thinking about it.


	6. Chapter 6

The whistle blew.

Hinata bent over, hands on his knees, a grin on his face. The other team was strong. Waseda’s first serve had rocked Chuo with its startling precision and force, and unfortunately, they were unable to recover from it in time. One point was quickly scored against them, and then another, and the momentum was so unbreakable that it came as no surprise when the first set ended in a score of 25-16.

The tide turned at the beginning of the second set after Hinata rallied the team and led them with one powerful super-quick right off the bat. It was Waseda’s turn to be startled. With renewed enthusiasm, Chuo evened the score with a set of 22-25 in their favor.

Now the third set would commence— the set to define the match— and Hinata wasn’t sure any of the water he was drinking would fully quench his thirst. He wanted to win. He wanted to win so badly, and he didn’t even know why anymore. It’d been a long time since he craved showing Kageyama up—since he’d stopped needing to prove his worth to him. All he wanted now was to put the past behind him. He wanted to return to what they’d had before. No matter how impossible it might seem.

He knew that some wishes were destined to only remain that—hopeful dreams, but Hinata was also aware that more than desire tied him and Kageyama together. What bound them had been magic of their own forging, and it was his to do with what he pleased. 

On the other side of the court, Kageyama was speaking with the Waseda coach. Hinata had kept his eye on him throughout the game, but for the first time since the match started, he was now able to get a truly good look at the taller man. 

Kageyama was unequivocally handsome. He had good stature and build, ideal for playing Volleyball, which still irked Hinata after all this time, but what caught Hinata’s eye the most was his haircut. The last time he saw Kageyama, it’d been through a screen in Brazil, during the Summer Olympics. Hinata remembered he’d sported a grossly uneven cut: hair too long, bangs too choppy. It looked like he’d taken a pair of scissors to the dark locks himself. Now his hair was trimmed to perfection, falling neatly across his forehead, and shaved evenly on the sides.

A hand fell down on Hinata’s back, and the distracted boy spluttered. Water went everywhere.

“You’re doing great out there, Shouyo. You rose to the occasion and lifted the team up with you. I don’t know what would’ve become of us if you hadn’t.”

Hinata grinned. “The game doesn’t end until the ball falls, right? We’ve still got another set.”

He looked back at the now-empty court, wistful. How was it possible for something so formless and intangible to carry so many dreams?

“We couldn’t have made it this far without you,” said Inuoka, his voice dropping to a murmur. “Talent abounds on the team, there’s no denying that, but before you came, we were kind of all just doing our own thing. We had no direction and no real focus or drive. Our morale was pretty low.”

Hinata felt the tips of his ears start to go hot. “I haven’t really done anything special.”

Inuoka smiled. “That you think that way only makes me want to put my trust in you more.”

Hinata cocked his head and eyed Inuoka curiously. 

Before he could ask what he meant, Inuoka patted him on the shoulder and turned to join the others. “Let’s win this one, okay?”

Hinata nodded. His heart felt like it had swelled to twice its size. Inuoka had gifted him so few words, and remarkably simple ones at that, but they carried the full weight of his feelings. It made him want to work harder. No, he _had _to work harder. There was no other way around it.

_This is my team_, Hinata thought, the words swirling in his head. 

This was his team, and they would reach the top together. 


	7. Chapter 7

When the whistle blew for the last time, the Waseda team erupted into a frenzy of wild calls and screams.

32-30. 

The set had gone over time, and in the final stretch, there’d been instants when Kageyama thought they might actually lose. Thankfully, his team was able to pull ahead in the end, and the shame for having doubted them at all came later. 

He should’ve known better. This was Waseda. The reigning champions. They wouldn’t bend so easily. It didn’t matter who they had to face or how many walls they had to tear down.

“As expected of the National Team’s setter,” said Kunimi, throwing Kageyama a towel.

The spacey, dark-haired man caught it in one hand before it smacked him across the face.

Kageyama hadn’t spoken much to Kunimi since joining the University volleyball team—there was still unsettled enmity between them, or so he’d thought—so it came as a surprise when the other guy actually complimented him. There didn’t seem to be any snark or vitriol behind the praise, either. Kunimi was smiling at him genuinely, even if somewhat strained. 

Kageyama supposed it _would _cost a person some effort to do something they’d refused to do before. That kind of perspective shift didn’t just happen seamlessly from one day to the next. 

“Thanks.”

Kunimi nodded to him, tight-lipped, and walked off just as the coach started to call the team in for some final words. 

After they were dismissed, nobody wasted time before going to mingle with the players from Chuo. Kageyama saw Goshiki run up to the ace. If the phone in his hands was any indication, he was probably hoping to exchange contact information. Only Mori stayed back.

“Hey,” he said, sidling up beside Kageyama. 

Kageyama turned to him, then looked around the empty court to make sure Mori was talking to _him. _

“I’ll admit it,” Mori said, placing his hands on his hips and raising his chin. “Chuo wasn’t half bad, and that small guy with the orange hair, he was especially impressive. I heard he’s the reason you wanted this match.”

Kageyama didn’t want to confirm or deny that. He stared at Mori blankly.

The look seemed to shake the younger man’s bravado. “Uh, well, I guess I’ll be going now,” he said, dropping all pretenses.

Kageyama watched him go, and when Mori ducked under the net to cross to the other side of the court, that’s when Kageyama’s eyes were dragged back to _him._

Hinata was behind the service line, talking to an ex-Nekoma player—the reserve middle blocker, if Kageyama remembered correctly—and he didn’t look nearly as rattled as Kageyama felt. Hinata was smiling, eyes crinkling in that dumb way that he remembered fondly.

_Has he already forgotten about me? _He wondered.

It wouldn’t be surprising. With how much Hinata had improved, Kageyama doubted there’d been much time for reminiscing. Hinata had not only become more stable in the areas in which he’d previously excelled, but he’d also even gone and mastered _setting._

At one point in the match, Chuo’s setter accidentally touched the ball too early, and the only person left to set the ball for the wing spiker had been Hinata, who not only timed the toss to perfection but actually sent it straight into the spiker’s line of impact. After that display of court mastery, the Chuo coach called for a time-out; and Kageyama could only guess he’d been impressed because, suddenly, the number of opportunities created for Hinata to set increased after that.

Kageyama thought he’d been prepared to face Hinata. Not as a person but as a player. He’d been so sure that he knew all of Hinata’s quirks and tendencies like the back of his own hand— that he’d be able to read him like a book and thwart all of his plays. But that wasn’t what happened. Playing against Hinata had been like playing against a total stranger. The only thing that’d remained the same was his unwavering enthusiasm and aura. 

Hinata was no longer just the greatest decoy. He was an absolute volleyball monster.

Without knowing it, Kageyama had grossly underestimated Hinata, too. So maybe it wasn’t just Mori who had to swallow his pride tonight. 

His legs started moving in Hinata’s direction before his mind had a chance to chicken out. 

Inuoka bumped Hinata’s elbow with his own and jutted his chin in Kageyama’s direction. When Hinata turned to look at him, the smile that had been on his face faltered and then disappeared altogether.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Inuoka slipped away, leaving the two Karasuno alumni alone.

Kageyama steeled his nerves. “Hey,” was all he said. He knew he sounded stupid. 

He felt Hinata’s eyes follow the planes of his face, taking him all in. 

“Hey,” he said back.

They stood there, staring at each other for what seemed like forever. Kageyama was sure that by now everyone had stopped to watch them, wondering what it was the two were standing around like idiots for. The more time elapsed, the deeper Kageyama fell into a trance-like state. He couldn’t believe Hinata was actually in front of him. What’s more, that _he_ was standing in front of Hinata. Even though he’d rehearsed this moment a hundred times, he didn’t know what to say. 

Hinata’s lips started to move. He was telling him something, but Kageyama couldn’t hear what. It was all white noise to him. 

Hinata’s lips kept moving, and Kageyama knew he should really pay attention to what he was saying, but he couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty Hinata’s lips were. 

How Kageyama had dreamed of feeling those lips on him again. 

“HEY!” 

Kageyama flinched. “Sorry,” he said. It was reactionary.

Hinata’s brow furrowed. “I was trying to praise you for not slacking off in my absence, but I take it back.”

“Sorry,” Kageyama said again, stupidly.

That seemed to punch a hole in Hinata’s defense. Slowly, a smile appeared on his face.

“So…I’m guessing you didn’t come over just to stare at me.”

Time seemed to slow to a crawl just then, as though the cosmos had come to a standstill, pausing their mystic churning just long enough for Kageyama to process the reality he was in—to bask in it. It was the moment of truth.

Hinata crossed his arms and started to playfully bounce the heel of his foot on the floor with mock impatience.

“I missed you,” Kageyama blurted out loud. 

The gym suddenly became so quiet that if a pin dropped, everyone would hear it. 

Just how loudly had he spoken? 

Kageyama didn’t dare look around to see for himself. His ears started to burn.

In what could have been an act of charity, Hinata reached out to touch his arm in that warm, reassuring way Kageyama knew.

“Took you long enough.”

Kageyama’s breath staggered. “And I’m sorry. For getting angry at you, and ignoring you, and doubting you. You didn’t do anything wrong to deserve it. And…I’m sorry I couldn’t find the courage to apologize sooner. ”

The grip on his arm tightened infinitesimally. Hinata stepped closer, invading the remainder of his space. 

The air felt thick—Kageyama couldn’t get enough of it. He was afraid that if he breathed too hard, Hinata might shatter like glass. This didn’t feel real yet. It wouldn’t feel real until Kageyama got to touch him back—got to feel him under his hands and breathe him in.

“I missed you, too.” Hinata cracked a small smile and lowered his eyes to the level of Kageyama’s chest. “Idiot.”

Kageyama’s released a measured sigh and wound his arms around Hinata’s waist. It felt okay to do so now that Hinata had reached out first. The first barrier had been lowered.

They were closer than he imagined they’d ever be again.

“I’m going to kiss you,” Kageyama said, tipping Hinata’s chin up with his left hand.

Hinata only nodded, eyelids already beginning to droop. 

When their lips touched, a chorus of playful jeers echoed throughout the gym. Goshiki’s protest was the loudest.

Kageyama ignored them in favor of focusing on the way Hinata tasted. It was a familiar taste: all Hinata with a hint of something foreign. Some sweetness, from candy or some chewing gum, though Kageyama couldn’t begin to speculate at what point Hinata had popped one in his mouth. Food was prohibited anywhere near the court when matches were underway.

“Ka—yama—” Hinata said, pushing at his chest. “Let—go.”

Kageyama leaned his head back and immediately searched for any signs of discomfort on Hinata’s face. His cheeks were a little flushed, and there was a pout on his lips like a small flower bud, but that was all. 

“I couldn’t breathe,” Hinata clarified after it became clear that Kageyama’s curiosity was not sated. “And everyone was looking at us.”

_Oh._

Kageyama smirked. “Are you embarrassed?”

Hinata wasn’t easily rattled, so that he’d been able to make him get this way made Kageyama proud. Drawing all sorts of expressions from Hinata had always been one of his joys, especially when those looks were meant just for him.

Hinata slapped Kageyama’s chest, playfully. “By the way,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eye, “what’s this Kuroo told me about your volleyball game becoming sloppy after I left? I’m glad you eventually found your mojo, but I have to say, I was a little disappointed to hear you became distracted.”

Kageyama grimaced. “I wasn’t distracted.”

Hinata gave him a knowing look. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Before Kageyama could retort, Hinata threw his arms behind his head in a stretch to crack his spine. There was a faint snapping sound as his bones popped back into place.

“Are we free to go, do you think?”

Kageyama nodded. “Why?” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Hinata laughed. “We’re going out. Grab your stuff from your club room; let’s go!”

Kageyama watched him happily bound to the side of the court, where all of Chuo’s bags lay scattered. There was a spring in his step. If he skipped any harder, he’d probably shoot toward the ceiling.

Kageyama ran to catch up to him and grab his hand. 

“Don’t go too far.” 

Hinata ducked his head and mumbled unintelligibly under his breath. 

As soon as Hinata had his things, they stepped out into the darkening evening, and Kageyama tugged on their interlocked hands to twirl Hinata around to face him.

He didn’t need to say the words for Hinata to know what he wanted. Kageyama only raised a hand to run his fingers through the messy locks of Hinata’s hair and pulled him close.

Hinata leaned into his touch and closed his eyes. 

A gust of wind whipped around them, agitating the fabric of their clothes and hair. It looked like it was gonna be a cold night, but Kageyama would never let Hinata feel the chill again. Only warm days awaited them. He’d make sure of it.

Later, when the two were curled together on Kageyama’s roommate’s sofa, watching a couple of Hinata’s Dragon Ball DVDs, Kageyama turned to the shorter man with his lips pressed into a line. 

Hinata peeked up at him from his spot under Kageyama’s arm. 

“What?”

Kageyama grimaced. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

Hinata swallowed. 

The look in his eyes made Kageyama suspect he already knew what this was about.

“Shoot.”

“What the hell happened between you and Oikawa-san in Brazil?”

There was a beat. 

Hinata’s eyes twinkled for a moment. Then he buried himself farther under Kageyama’s armpit.

“Oh, _that. _Not much. Just a couple of dinner dates, that’s all.”

Oh. Kageyama blinked. Then he blinked again. _Oh._

“YOU DID WHAT?” He shouted.

When Kageyama’s roommate, who’d been studying quietly in his room, yelled at them to shut up, Kageyama apologized immediately. His ears turned pink.

It was such an endearing sight that Hinata could only laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> I've made a twitter account(@FruitofSorrow) if anyone is interested in semi-live updates for future Haikyuu fics. I haven't gotten any requests yet, but if any of you want to send some my way, that would be the place to do it. Message me or tweet at me. Whichever you prefer.  
(๑°꒵°๑)･*♡


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